


Ender's Confession and Alai's Comfort

by SammyRae



Category: Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-29
Updated: 2012-03-29
Packaged: 2017-11-02 17:13:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/371416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SammyRae/pseuds/SammyRae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alai thinks there's something wrong with Ender, and he's going to find out what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ender's Confession and Alai's Comfort

Ender sat at his desk in his new courters. He didn’t really like being in a room to himself. He missed the laughter and shouts from the other boys around him. However, Ender was determined not to think of these things as he tried to finish his assignment.

Suddenly a message appeared and marched around the perimeter of his desk before coming to a standstill in the center of the screen. It read; Do you want to talk? At the bottom, it was signed from Alai. Ender read the message twice before replying. What do you mean? 

Had Alai seen through Enders façade? And, if Alai had who else had. No Ender had made sure not to show his real emotions to having his new army, but Alai was a close friend to Ender, and he saw more than others would. 

Ender was pulled from his thoughts as Alai’s replay marched on to his screen. I know something’s bothering you. Do you want to talk about it, or do I have to come down there and get it out of you. 

He typed out his reply before he even thought it through. I’ll talk, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay there. You can come here. It wasn’t a command; it was barley a statement. It was more of a silent plea. What the heck am I thinking, Ender thought. He didn’t know what had possessed him to tell Alai to come to him, or even what had made him say he’d talk. But he could trust Alai he was a good friend. 

It took Alai longer to reply this time. I can’t blame him, thought Ender, I probably shocked him. When he finally got the reply about two minutes later this is what it said; Alright I’m on my way. There would be no use trying to stop Alai from coming now. He had already left for Enders courters.

Ender was lying on his bed several minutes later when there was a knock at his door. “Come in,” he called.

“Hey,” Alai said coming in to the small room. Alai crossed the short distance from the door to Enders bed then sat down. Ender noted how Alia stood several inches taller than himself, and that it appeared that he had recently become stronger. 

“You wanted to talk?” Ender said this more as a question so that Alai would think Ender didn’t know what they were talking about.

“Yea, it’s just Dink and Petra told me that you were eating even less than usual. And I’ve seen you around lately. You walk around in a daze. Just frowning and barley responding when people ask you questions,” Alai wasn’t going to waste time beating around the bush; he got straight to the point.

“I just haven’t been that hungry. Also, the teachers keep ragging on me so I’ve been more distracted lately,” Ender shrugged. He was determined not to let Alai see him so useless.

“Ender, look at me,” Alai pleaded when Ender wouldn’t meet his eye, “You never really ate that much to begin with, and the amount has been decreasing ever since. The teachers have been ragging on you since we got here, that’s nothing new, and nothing you can’t handle. Now tell me what’s really bothering you.”

Ender looked at the dark skinned boy in front of him. Alai was his best friend, and possibly his only true friend other than Shen. It was just that something was different between him and Alai. Just the sight of the other boy caused Ender to have butterflies. Ender didn’t know what this feeling was, and he was a little afraid to find out.

The boys stared at each other for another minute before Ender decided to speak his wall crumbling to pieces, “I can’t handle this army. The teachers won’t accept failure from me. I have to train all these launchys and the very few veterans I have to fight together. Plus, now I have all these battles coming at me, one after another. I know what they’re training me for, and I’m not ready for it. I never agreed for them to break me just to save themselves. I just…” Ender sighed, “I just can’t do it, Alai.”

Suddenly Ender felt a pair of smooth, warm lips meet his own. Even the connection Ender felt for Alai before couldn’t match the surge of electricity that was running through him now. The thing was Ender had never kissed anyone before and at first tried to pull away out of embracement of not knowing what to do, but Alai laced his fingers through Enders hair and held him in place. With Alai guiding Ender, the two kissed for several more minutes. 

Finally when they broke apart to come up for air, Alai said, “Don’t worry if anyone can handle this it’s you, and if you ever need my help I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you,” Ender whispered with his head resting against Alai’s shoulder. They stayed like that for awhile until the lights went out for bed.

“I guess I should go back to the barracks,” Alai stood to leave, but Ender grabbed the hem of his uniform.

“Please, will you just stay a little longer,” Ender pleaded longingly. He didn’t think that after everything that had just happened that he could be alone.

Alai smiled kindly looking into Enders eyes, “Of course.” And with that, the two lay down together, and Ender drifted off to the first peaceful sleep he’d had in months. It was nice to be at peace for a change even if it was only for a little while.


End file.
